Prnus serrulata (Royal Burgundy)

ABSTRACT

A new variety of Prunus serrulata having distinctive purplish red leaf color with the blossoms being a darker purplish red than the known varieties of the Prunus serrulata species. The branches, stems and calyxes are reddish.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of floweringcherry tree of the species known as Prunus serrulata. The variety wasdiscovered by me in a row of Prunus serrulata seedlings of the Kwanzanvariety which by nature have medium green leaves and branches. Thepresent new variety has been designated by me as "Royal Burgundy. "

A seedling of the Kwanzan variety was observed in a cultivated area ofmy nursery located in Washington County, Oreg., as having one branch theleaves of which were a shade of purplish red in contrast to theremaining leaves of the seedling and the leaves of the other seedlings.Additionally, the bark of the observed seedling branch was a dark shadeof purple.

The above noted observed branch was grafted during dormancy to a mazzardseedling understock. Initial asexual propagation was achieved by suchdormant grafting under my close supervision. Further asexual propagationwas achieved by dormant grafting under my close supervision usingmazzard seedlings as understock. Later asexual propagation has beenachieved by budding and by grafting cuttings from the asexuallypropagated trees. Cuttings from the asexually propagated trees have beenrooted in a greenhouse environment with controlled water flow andperiodic misting of the leaves.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view of a mature branch and foliage of the new variety;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view for comparison purposes of a cutting of thenew variety on the left hand side and a cutting of the Kwanzan varietyon the right hand side;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but providing a comparison betweenthe blossoms of the new variety on the left hand side and blossoms ofthe Kwanzan variety on the right hand side;

FIG. 4 is a view of the new variety of Prunus serrulata.

The new asexually propagated trees are distinguished from any knownvarieties of Prunus serrulata of which I am aware by reason of:

1. The flowers of the present tree are of a darker shade than those ofother Prunus serrulata varieties;

2. The flower stems and calyxes are purplish red;

3. The bark is a dark shade of purple;

4. The leaves and particularly the upper surface thereof are a purplishred; and

5. At maturity in early summer the leaves and specifically the uppersurfaces thereof have a glossy appearance.

The present variety of Prunus serrulata has been asexually reproduced inmy nursery by budding, grafting and rooting with the resulting treeshaving a markedly different color than known varieties of the Prunusserrulata with color differences being in the flower, the leaf, the stemand calyx and the bark of the branches.

The following description of my new variety of Prunus serrulata is withreference to the Munsell Book of Color, 1976 Edition.

The size and shape of the leaves, the trunk and the branches appear tobe similar to those of the Kwanzan variety of the Prunus serrulata.

The new variety is described as follows:

Parentage: A bud sport of a Prunus serrulata seedling.

Propagation: Budding and Grafting to understock. Rooting of cuttings ina greenhouse environment.

Locality: Washington County, Oreg.

Foliage:

Leaves.--Shape -- Elliptic. Base -- Cuneate. Apex -- Accuminate. Margin-- Serrulate. Color -- purplish Red 2.5R 2/6 to 2/2. Size -- Length --8.9 cm to 10 cm. Width -- 5.08 cm to 6.35 cm. Petiole -- 2 cm to 2.5 cm.

Branches.--Color -- Red 5.0 R 3/4 to 3/6.

Stem and calyx.--Color -- purplish Red 2.5R 3/6 to 3/8.

Blossom.--Color -- purplish Red 2.5R 8/6 to 7/8. Size -- approximately3.5 cm in diameter.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Prunus serrulata as describedand illustrated, distinguished from the species and other knownvarieties by the purplish red color of its leaves, the red branches, thepurplish red stem and caps and the purplish Red blossoms.